I really love to entertain and do it quite often. It is so satisfying to cook for friends and to create an elegant and comfortable table for us all to sit around.
This Thanksgiving, I’ve been thinking so much about the physical accoutrements of entertaining – the placemats, the votives, the plates– but what about that intangible, all-important aspect of being a host AND a guest, the etiquette!
Etiquette might seem like an outdated concept, a throwback to white gloves and tea gowns. So what is modern etiquette? What rules should we remember to live by this Thanksgiving?
I consulted some ultra-reliable sources, the Emily Post Institute (why not go straight to the Etiquette Queen?) and the English etiquette authority Debrett’s (and who knows more about etiquette than the English?), and came up with a few key tips for gracefully navigating the holiday party season.
